30 Comments
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Nena Veenstra's avatar

I think being a student is exhausting because it's very stressful. Like, you're upholstering your life to figure out who you want to be, working hard to get a degree, and developing friendships. Even if you did get enough sleep, you'd be exhausted. I know I am

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Arden Yum's avatar

Totally

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Lupin ✮'s avatar

The fatigue needs to stop. I clicked on this because of the title and i wasnt disappointed. I recently finished up my undergrad and i was sleepy and tired through it all

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Arden Yum's avatar

Ugh yes

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KeTian's avatar

Fatigue is so normalized and because it's easy to attribute it to lack of quality sleep, we often just say "Maybe try magnesium." (which may help don't get me wrong) but it may not necessarily address the root cause of the problem.

I genuinely believe that if people were afforded more quality time, to connect, to reflect, to feel, fatigue levels would reduce across the board.

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Arden Yum's avatar

Totally with you

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ivysnowthorns's avatar

Hi! This might be kind of unrelated (but also kind of related since it’s about being a student) but I recently stumbled across your substack and thought it was amazing, and it actually seems like you and I went to the same high school (starts with a T and is well-known for being rigorous) and we’re both Korean-american, which is so funny to me. This isn’t my real name, so you can’t search me up or ask around, but I thought it was very interesting to note. Wishing you all the best.

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Arden Yum's avatar

Omg

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ivysnowthorns's avatar

I know this is a very late reply but I also wanted to say I love the name of your Substack (it reminds me of a certain 30-minute break time, haha). Have a good one.

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Rebecca's avatar

magnesium was a game changer for me and one of the only actually valuable supplements imo

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Arden Yum's avatar

Have to get on this

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Nadia's avatar

Arden, I love how you write

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Arden Yum's avatar

Thank you Nadia!!

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diane's avatar

i love love love love this take, to believe that energy is everything and everywhere, just reservoirs that we can drink from—is so beautiful and wonderful<333

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Arden Yum's avatar

Thank you!!!

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Udoka's avatar

Worth considering that most everyone has had covid multiple times now - one of the most common long term symptoms is fatigue, and every time you get covid you are more likely to develop long term symptoms. I know people catching COVID once or twice a year.

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Arden Yum's avatar

Omg true

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Corinna Carlotti's avatar

Honestly, I was most tired when I was a student. I felt like I couldn’t keep up with it until the weekend and even then it was screwed from late nights. Now that I’m graduated and on a regular work schedule, I rarely am extremely exhausted. It’s so hard to find routine in academia or if you work odd hours.

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Arden Yum's avatar

That makes sense!

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Abra McAndrew's avatar

Tylenol PM if you feel desperate. Turn the thermostat to 68. Take a shower as hot as you can stand then turn it cold. Enjoy it and never get old!

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Arden Yum's avatar

Thank you

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Caroline Beuley's avatar

I used to be like the people you mention, glorifying my lack of sleep as if it made me a harder worker or something, but I finallyyyy got medicated for insomnia and let me tell you, it's been the single biggest/best change of my life. Everything is easier when you're not exhausted! I've been trying to write about this experience, but capturing exhaustion and energy on the page is so hard---you did it beautifully here!

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Arden Yum's avatar

I'm so happy for you!!

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Dominique Lewis's avatar

Calm wrote an article about the 7 different types of rest, that are necessary for our health. Really interesting way to think about how rest can equate to energy (https://www.calm.com/blog/7-types-of-rest).

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Arden Yum's avatar

Oooh thank you for sharing!!

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Ashley Bowling's avatar

mushroom coffee will change your life - i drink ryze

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Arden Yum's avatar

Need to try it

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Stella Brown's avatar

resonate with this on so many levels... envious of the girls I see managing it all out and about seemingly flawlessly. And then there's the social media comparison of seeing the 20 something girl doing the most from 5 am to midnight. Like do you ever yawn or zone out from exhaustion? But also so real with the invigorating conversations that feel like youre plugging in and charging your battery

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Arden Yum's avatar

Yes how do they do it

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caronahill's avatar

I was never more tired than when I was in uni and I think it was for all the reasons you listed and

Because I rarely ate a full meal lmao

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